Governor mechanism.



N. BALDWIN.

GOVERNOR MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.6,1912.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

. NATHANIEL BALDWIN, OF MILL CREEK, UTAH.

GOVERNOR MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24, 1914.

Application filed. February 5, 1912. Serial No. 675,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL BALDWIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mill Creek, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Governor Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention comprises improvements relating to that class of governors in which the effect of acceleration and retardation operates in connection with the effect of speed to regulate the supply of power to the prime mover.

The object of the present invention is to simplify the means by which the'eifectof acceleration or retardation cooperates with the effect of speed to operate the power controlling means. I attain this object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section (showing parts in elevation) of the mechanism arranged in a vertical posit-ion, and in which the centrifugal weights are attached to leaf springs. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section along the line a b of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a vertical section of a modified form of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a partial section of a second modified form of the mechanism in which the force of the centrifugal weights is counterbalanced by the force of gravity; Fig. 5 is an elevation of a third modification of the mechanism applied to a fly wheel.

In Fig. 1, numeral 1 designates part of a supporting frame. Numeral 2 designates a bracket extending forward from the top of the frame 1, in which 'is fitted the hollow spindle 3. This spindle is held rigidly in position by the nut 4:. Numerals 5 and 6 designate heads which, together with the sleeves 7 and 8, rotate upon the spindle 3 and carry the leaf springs 9, 9, and centrifugal weights 10, 10. A collar 11 is set down upon the sleeve 7 and fixed with a set screw 12. The head 6 and sleeve 8 move up or down upon the spindle 3 in accordance with the centrifugal force of the weights 10, 10, and the action of the inertia wheel which hereafter will be explained. The plug 13 which is screwed into the head 6 has a recess in the bottom which receives the end of the controlling rod 1 1. The rod 14 passes through a lever 15 which is pivoted upon a support 16 projecting from the frame 1.

weights 10, 10 will increase and overcome the elasticity of the springs to a greater degree and the rod will descend. Thus the position of the controlling rod will depend upon the speed of rotation. The said controlling rod may operate a regulating valve, a friction gear, or any other suitable means for regulating the supply of power.

In addition to the centrifugal weights 10, 10 whose effect depends upon the speed, I employ another system whose effect depends upon the rate of change of speed,acceleration or retardationf Upon the sleeve 7 is fitted another sleeve or hub 19 on which is set a disk or wheel 20. Upon the disk 20 is secured a heavy rim 21 whose weight is made sufficient to serve the purpose for which it is used. The sleeve 19, disk 20, and rim 21 constitute what hereafter will be called an inertia wheel.

Upon the disk 20 are fixed two posts 22, 22 in opposite pisitions. The screws 23, 23 which secure the weights 10, 10 to the springs 9, 9 have slotted heads which together with pins or screws 24, 2 1 receive links 25, 25. These links are also pivoted at the top of the posts 22, 22 upon the pins 26, 26. These links form a connection between the centrifugal weights and the inertia wheel. The springs 9, 9 pass through slots 27, 27 in the disk 20 which allow a limited rotation of the inertia wheel upon the sleeve 7. The arrangement of the governor here shown is such that the rotation must be clockwise as viewed from above. The motion of the prime-mover may be transmitted to the head 5 by means of a belt passing around the pulley 28.

Referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that an increase in the speed transmitted first to the centrifugal system, will be transmitted to the inertia wheel through the links 25, 25. On account of the inertia of the wheel, this will cause a pressure on the links and the weights 10, 10 immediately will be forced outward a distance proportional to the amount of acceleration. Similarly, retardation will cause the links to draw the weights 10, 10 inward. Thus the position of the controlling rod is affected by the acceleration or retardation of the prime mover as well as by its speed.

The use of the inertia wheel is twofold, first, to aid the centrifugal weights to act quickly, and second, to prevent racing. If a load comes on suddenly, immediately the speed begins to decrease, but without the inertia wheel a relatively long time would be required for the speed to be sufliciently reduced to move the controlling rod as it should be moved, but the retardation is instant and at once the inertia wheel 21, tending to preserve its former speed, will exert a pull on the links 25, 25 which will draw the weights 1O, 10 inward and raise the rod a distance corresponding to the retardation. Similarly, if a load goes off, there will be acceleration at once, and the inertia wheel, resisting an increase of speed, will exert a thrust on the links 25, 25 which will lower the rod a distance corresponding to the acceleration. In this way the inertia wheel with its connections to the centrifugal weights, greatly increases the accuracy of the governor.

The mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 cmbodies the main features of the improvement, but it is understood that the structure may be modified in many ways without departing from the invention.

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the combined centrifugal and inertia controlling means in which the axis of rotation may be horizontal. The heads 5 and 6 are fixed upon spindles 29 and 30 which rotate in bearings 31 and 32. The spindle 29, carrying the pulley 28, rotates in fixed relation to its bearing, but the spindle 30 may move longitudinally in response to the centrifugal and inertia controlling means. The centrifugal weights 10, 10 and leaf springs 9, 9 are fixed to the heads 5 and 6 in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1, while the inertia wheel 21 is fixed upon a spindle 33 whose ends are made small and fit into bearings formed in the heads 5 and 6 in such way as to permit the longitudinal movement of the spindle 30 which has been mentioned. The inertia wheel 21 is connected to the centrifugal weights 10, 10 by links 25, 25 in a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 1, the pins 26 being set into the spokes 20 of the inertia wheel 21. The rod 14 transmits the movements of the spindle 30 to the operating means for controlling the supply of power to the prime mover.

Fig. 1 illustrates a modification of the combined centrifugal and inertia controlling means in which the centrifugal force of the weights l0, 10 is counterbalanced com pletely or in part by the force of gravity. Numeral 3 designates a fixed hollow spindle upon which rotates the sleeve shaft 7 carrying the arms 34, 34. Fulcrumed at the ex tremity of the said arms two levers 35, 35 carry the centrifugal weights 10, 10 and by means of the two fixed collars 3G, operate upon the rod 1 1. The inertia wheel 20 is rotatably mounted on the sleeve shaft 7 and its effect is transmitted to the centrifugal weights 10, 10 in the same manner as explained in connection with Fig. 1. The rod let transmits the movements of the levers 35, to the operating means for controlling the supply of power.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the combined centrifugal and inertia controlling means in which the centrifugal weights 10, 10 are mounted on a wheel 37, such as the fly wheel of a steam engine. The levers 38, 38 which carry the centrifugal weights 10, 10 are pivoted to the spokes of the fly wheel 37 and the centrifugal force of the weights 10, 10 is counterbalanced by the coil springs 39, 39 which connect the two levers 38, 38 and tend to draw the weights 10, 10 inward. The inertia wheel 20, rotatably mounted upon the fly wheel shaft 40 is connected to the said centrifugal weights by means of the links 25, 25, pins 24, 24:, and pins 26, 26, and operate on the same general principle which already has been explained. The operating means for controlling the supply of power and also the means for transmitting the movements of the levers 38, 38 to the said operating means form no part of the present invention and therefore are omitted.

I claim:

1. In a governor of the class described a fixed hollow spindle, a sleeve rotating in fixed position upon said spindle, a second sleeve rotating upon said spindle and longitudinally movable thereon, a controlling rod within said hollow spindle and connected with the second mentioned sleeve, heads carried by said sleeve, flexible leaves connecting said heads, centrifugal controlling weights carried by said leaves, an inertia wheel rotatably mounted upon the first mentioned sleeve, and links operatively connecting said inertia wheel with said centrifugal weights.

2. A governor embodying a controlling rod, a fixed spindle, a sleeve rotatably mounted upon said spindle, centrifugal weights connected with said sleeve and operative upon said controlling rod, an inertia wheel rotatably mounted upon said sleeve, and links operatively connecting said inertia wheel with said centrifugal weights.

3. A governor embodying leaf springs, centrifugal weights carried by said springs and operative thereon, controlling means and capable of limited rotation with respect to said centrifugal weights and operative upon said weights through links.

4. A governor embodying a fixed spindle, two sleeves rotatably mounted upon said spindle, a controlling rod connected with one of said sleeves, heads fixed upon said sleeves, leaf springs attached to said heads, centrifugal weights carried by said leaf springs, an inertia wheel rotatably mounted upon said spindle and operative upon said centrifugal weights in response to acceleration or retardation.

5. A governor embodying a spindle, two heads rotatably mounted upon said spindle, centrifugal weights rotating with said heads and operative thereon, an inertia wheel rotatably mounted upon said spindle, links operatively connecting said inertia wheel wit-h said centrifugal weights, and controlling means connected with one of said heads.

6. A governor comprising a controlling rod, a fixed spindle, centrifugal weights rotatably mounted upon said spindle and operative upon said controlling rod, an inertia wheel rotatably mounted upon said spindle and operative upon said weights in response to acceleration and retardation.

7. A governor comprising a fixed hollow spindle, a controlling rod within said spindle, centrifugal weights mounted to rotate about said spindle and operative upon said controlling rod, an inertia wheel rotatably mounted upon said spindle, and links operatively connecting said inertia wheel with said centrifugal weights.

NATHANIEL BALDWIN.

Witnesses:

Gno. A. DIXON, A. J. STRONG.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

